Dear Editor – Firstly, to express my sincere thank and appreciation to the Honourable Premier of Temotu Province Fr Brown Beu for refusing and rebuffing the bribery attempt on him by a foreign corrupt investor/logger in their attempt to evade and by pas the required regulations for quick logging on Vanikoro Island.
Premier Beu’s bolt action for integrity to say no to corruption was a clear manifestation of a(n) honest leader who is patriotic and passionate, holding high respect for his people, resources and country. Once again, thank you for your uncompromising stand and we are with you.
We, generally aware that corruption is rife and rampant, corroding the foundation of our society riddled with sordid practices, especially in the government and its agencies, state own enterprises (SOE) as it happened on this case involving forestry senior offices, let alone the Health & Medical and Fisheries Bech-demer issues.
These are classic examples of national failures by those who supposed to uphold, protect and custodians of our laws (constitution) and natural resources on behalf of the present and future generations.
Secondly, I would like to express my thank and admiration of Mr Baddeley D. H. Nuhumanu’s view regarding the whole issue as appeared in Solomon Star issue 5317, last year.
Mr Nukumanu’s assertion was all truth as Vanikoro Island holds some very important historical information and resources nationally, to name a few.
The famous French Explorer Jean Fraucois de Galaup Le Laperous who left France in 1785 and his expedition went missing and remained mystery to the West for 39 years since his two ships the La Bousole and I Astrolable were lost without trace three years later in 1788.
The expedition’s mystery was solved when an Irish Merchant Captain Peter Dillion called in at Tikopia Island, and to his amazements saw Tikopians in possession of captain Laperouse’s clay cups, smoking pipes, swords, shields and other relics.
Satisfied with information provided he was assisted and directed to the spot where Laperous ships were wrecked at Paiu (Peu) on Vanikoro Island. Vanikoro has national history in the logging industry as it was where the first logging operation in Solomon Islands took place from 1926 to 1964, by Vanikoro Kauri Timber Company.
The only island heavily forested with Kauri trees and they grow naturally. It is naturally blessed with flora and fauna, some of which are rare and threatened let alone endangered.
Unfortunately, Vanikoro has certain selfish, irreverent and dishonest individuals whose characters are sordid and distasteful.
Once again, the same three individuals who falsely informed the chief and people of Vanikoro are drumming up their evil activities to gain support for logging on the island.
Memories of what happened to the funds earned through access fees and royalties or royalty payments are still fresh and remain bones stuck in the throats.
These three men were named rightly in Mr Nukumuna’s contribution; they are John Nambu, Ezekiel Tamou and Norman Tuke.
They were claimed to have misused and squandered the hundreds of thousand dollars earned from logging between 2004 and 2008 on Vanikoro.
Since the money has gone up like smoke and disappeared, and they are back to square zero, and satanically mapping and charting their dubious activities with the corrupt Asian investor for another chance of immoralities.
The logging on Vanikoro came to an abrupt end when the people realised that they had been robbed of their resources and burned the logging machinery in 2008.
The dissatisfaction and discontentment still remain visible and any attempt to lug the island must reconsider their positions and not to play with human abilities and capabilities, especially when the heart are pierced. The cunning three who are good for nothing are not islands nor indispensable.
I urge the good people of Vanikoro, chiefs, community and church leaders to stand your ground with our provincial government and disassociate yourselves from such selfish and greedy individuals.
Commonly, money maniac people are only good at hiring motels and taxis, womanising themselves and indulging in immoral activities to the extent of destroying families, enticing and luring girls and married women with logging money instead of the resource owners.
The funds earned or received from logging should be fairly distributed or shared among the intended recipients which we are encouraging development, it is equally important that regulations are adhered with, agreement are collectively agreed upon and legally signed by concerned parties, environmental impact and sustainability should be considered.
Kauri trees and other tree species on Vanikoro need to be harvested but not to be heavily logged by greedy and selfish fly-in investors who are here today to destroy and gone tomorrow.
It is time that respective national government authorities especially the departments of forestry and the department of fisheries come to their senses and rid themselves of corrupt practices let alone double tongues due to under table brown envelope.
So fellow Vattuans and Temotuans, let us unite in our stand to ward off Business and Political corruption and embrace moral standards.
Long live Temotu!
Clement Weston Fakasori
Temotu
